WASHINGTON, March 27: US government investigators found no improvement in airport security since the Sept 11 terrorist attacks and were able to smuggle hundreds of weapons past screeners at 32 American airports, USA Today reported on Monday.

The newspaper cited a confidential memo by the Transportation Department’s inspector general that said investigators were able to slip guns past screeners 30 per cent of the time, knives 70 per cent of the time and simulated explosives 60 per cent, for a total failure rate of 48 per cent, the memo said.

In addition, investigators were able to gain unauthorized access to aircraft or the tarmac in 48 per cent of their attempts.

The Feb 19 memo said undercover investigators conducted 783 tests at screening checkpoints and hundred of tests in other areas of airports security, finding widespread failures on most fronts although the tests, which President George W. Bush ordered, were conducted from November through early February, when US airports were on their highest security alert.

The newspaper also reported that congressional testimony in September indicated that screeners in the 1970s and 1980s had better success rates than the post-September 11 security personnel.—dpa